The ultimate in Marine trivia: What actual ship did Hollywood use, and what modifications, if any, did they do to the vessel, in making the movie?

Ordinarily, such trivia isn't of any interest to me, unless it was a ship I sailed on. To be interested in the vessel in the making of Mr. Roberts, and/or what alterations were made to the ship in the production, surprises me, in that the type of vessel never interested me. The small Army FS ( FS for Freighter Small in Army parlance ) never came over my horizon...not even to this day.
I had heard of them from some of the old timers who sailed them for the Army as USAT FS - ( number ), and during the early MSTS days as T-AKL - ( number ), or ( name ) and T-AKL - ( number ), but it meant nothing to me, except to be something "before my time".

Now, for some un-explainable reason, I'm taking on the task to solve this mystery of what "real" ship was used in the movie - Mr. Roberts, but more so to document to what extent Hollywood went to to modify the superstructure, which to some extent, I now think they did.

Since there's very little documentation on these vessels available, it's only a guess whether they were diesel-electric, but assuming they were...the engines being other than "GE", but motors were GE. I have sailed with "GE" diesels, and they were large...around three-thousand HP, but modified from a Kooper-Bessemer plan. That was on the USNS Neptune...a cable layer...where there were three of these engines.

Note: Dec 2004, in recent e-mail discussions about the engines used in these vessels, the consensus now is that for most of them, they were General Motors Diesels...specifically GM 6-278A ( six cylinder, 278 cu. in. ), and reduction-geared...no generator. For further documentation on these vessels, check out Ramon's Pages.

So...whatta ya think? It seems the USS Hewell played the part as the USS Reluctant AK-601...doesn't it. The timing is right, the ship being in the area at the time, and de-commissioned shortly after. I think it was. Now...did you catch "AK-601"?
In the film, "AK 601" is painted on the bow. In the novel by Thomas Heggen, that's the ship type, and number used. However, in the novel, the "Reluctant" is an AKA - an Attack Cargo vessel...in fact the ship that inspired, and which Heggen sailed on, was the USS Virgo AKA-20...the same type ship I sailed on in the Navy - USS Arneb AKA-56. Needless to say, the "Reluctant" in the movie is an AKL...not an AKA...not by ten, or more times the size. So...that was a mistake by the film-makers....You can't misplace ship designators like that. However...we don't hear anyone complaining...it's just a movie. We'll get into dumber stuph shortly...like now.

Here's really what has prompted me to waste time on this idiocy: Take a look first at the whole picture, and try to remember it...it's a photo I took off the TV. Fix your attention on the "built-up" housing forward of the original superstructure, or house.

Ref 1994. Ref1979/1986: The role of the ship was played by USS HEWELL (AG-145) 172' LOD. The "palm tree" deck was added by studio technicians. Henry Fonda played the role of Roberts in some 1600 performances on Broadway before he did the film.
DRB

Hewell (AG-145) was launched in 1944 by United States Concrete Pipe Corp., Los Angeles, Calif.; served the United States Army as FS-391; acquired by the Navy 2 February 1948, and commissioned 5 June 1948, Lt. (j.g.) J. W. Hinkleman in command.
Hewell's shakedown took her through then Pacific to Guam, Midway, and Saipan. As part of the Service Force, Pacific. Hewell operated in support of America's far-flung Asian defenses. Reclassified AKL-14 in June 1949 she continued her duties of transporting cargo through the vast pacific areas covered by the U.S. Navy. when Communist troops began their onslaught on the Korean peninsula in June 1950, Hewell shifted her base of operations to Japan. Shuttle trips to the Korean coast kept American and Allied units, both naval and land, supplied with stores and ammunition. Overhaul at Pearl Harbor and tactical training designed to keep Hewell in a state of readiness varied her duties out of Japan.
With the end of hostilities in Korea in August 1953, Hewell continued to make frequent supply voyages from Japan to occupying troops until June 1954, when she made a final swing through the Pacific Island bases. Hewell departed Hawaii for home in mid-October 1954, remaining at Astoria, Oreg., until she decommissioned there 15 March 1955 and joined the Pacific Reserve Fleet. Hewell remained there until 1 November 1959 when her name was stricken from the Navy List and sold to Steve Pickard 2 June 1960.
Hewell received seven battle stars for Korean service.

Film Facts
Mister Roberts was originally a hit on the Broadway stage. Henry Fonda re-created his stage role for the film. Cagney blended humor into the otherwise one dimensional part of the Captain. William Powell played doc and Jack Lemmon began a whole career out of his role as pulver. It was filmed on the South Pacific island of Midway and aboard the U.S.S. Hewell. Director John Ford became ill while filming and Mervyn Leroy completed the film, both received screen credit, nominated for three academy awards including best picture, Lemmon won for best supporting actor. Before it's release Cagney, Fonda and Lemmon re-created scenes on the Ed Sullivan Show"

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The U.S.S. Reluctant has set sail on her final voyage. The U.S.S. Hewell was the actual 250-ton cargo ship at the naval base at Midway, which doubled for the U.S.S. Reluctant used to film MISTER ROBERTS. Henry Fonda was Lieutenant (jg) Doug Roberts or just known as beloved Mister Roberts to his crew. Mister Roberts was a man of dignity and honor who just wanted to do his part in the war. Instead Mister Roberts is rendered impotent on the U.S.S. Reluctant commanded by a hot-tempered, eccentric basically uneducated Captain brilliantly played by James Cagney. The script under the tenure of director John Ford mixed his usual comic military camaraderie with the despair of the sailors stuck in remote out of action sea-lanes and ports during World War II in the South Pacific.

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When the "Snark" - the U.S.'s first Intercontinental Missle finally achieved it's fully intended range of 5,500 miles, it forced the construction of the tracking stations that would become the Eastern Test Range. To fill the 1,600 mile gap between the West Indies, and Ascension Island, the U.S. Air Force, in 1956, broke out six FSs, and gave them no names, except for the phonetic call signs of Echo, Foxtrot, Golf; Hotel, India, and Kilo. The gun emplacements where converted to accomodate radars for tracking, and the cargo holds for housing electronic equipment. By the end of October 1957, the FSs where in position to track.

The above info gleaned from the article "The Rocket Ships" by Dan Kovalchik in the January, 2002 edition of Air and Space Magazine ( Smithsonian ).

It was interesting reading what you have on your website about the movie "Mr.
Roberts" and the real Navy ship that starred in the movie - the USS Hewell
(AKL-14). Well, I served on the Hewell during that time as a yeoman - one of
33 enlisted men and four officers on the light cargo ship. You are right that
most of the movie was filmed at Midway in the central Pacific and aboard the
Hewell. But the big scene where the natives came out to the Reluctant in
outrigger canoes was filmed in Kaneohe Bay, no question the prettiest port I
have ever seen. It is across Oahu from Honolulu. When that scene was being
shot, I couldn't help but recall a similar incident that happened a few
months before when the Hewell's home port was in Japan. A Navy seaplane had
to make a forced landing near Wotje Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The Hewell
was dispatched to Wotje to accommodate the seaplane crew until the plane
could be repaired and flown out. After our ship was anchored off the main
atoll, natives came out in outrigger canoes and invited us to come ashore as
their guests. It was the most unusual liberty I ever pulled during my four
years in the Navy.You also are right that the "palm tree" deck and the
housing around it was constructed in Honolulu to make the Hewell look like a
larger ship, at which I thought Hollywood failed. Most of the addition was
made of wood. The Hewell was on her way back to Astoria, Oregon, for
decommissioning when we made a port call at Honolulu to take on fuel and
provisions. We were only supposed to be in port for a few days before
continuing on the Hewell's last Navy cruise. Days turned into weeks, and we
sailors grew impatient to get back home to the United States. Warner Brothers
and the Navy were negotiating over using the Hewell in "Mr. Roberts."
Finally, we were told of the decision and, for four months, sailed around the
western Pacific mostly under the command of Director John Ford. Interesting
that you served on an attack cargo ship. Before going aboard the Hewell, I
served two years on the USS Chara (AKA-58). Waylon Smithey, Birmingham,
Alabama.
In a follow-up, Waylon adds the following:
Carl: Thank you for the quick reply. First off, you have my permission
to use the information on your website about the Hewell and "Mr. Roberts."
None of the inside scenes in the movie were shot on the Hewell; I suppose
they were shot in Hollywood. Most of the enlisted men on the Hewell were used
as extras in the movie, and were paid $300 each by Warner Brothers.
(Considering how many times that movie has been replayed on TV, I would have
been a lot better off if I had held out for royalties). I am in about four or
five scenes. When Cagney had Fonda and the rest of the crew on deck in front
of the superstructure outlining the new "rules," I am the lone sailor in
undress whites standing at attention who is framed between the two actors. We
sailors at first were upset about being held up for the filming of the movie,
but later the experience seemed to be worth the delay. For one thing, almost
every weekend the film crew and cast threw a big bash at one of the Waikiki
Beach hotels, and the Hewell crew was invited. It was a great perk in our
estimation, and we all accepted the invitations. After my tour in the Navy, I
got a degree in journalism and was a newspaperman for 36 years. One day in
the 1980s when I was at The Birmingham (Ala.) News, an Associated Press
dispatch came in about the old ship that once was the Hewell. She and her
civilian crew were nabbed off the coast of southern California with a load of
marijuana from Mexico. Heck of a thing to happen to such a proud ship. I have
never heard anymore about the ship. Thanks so much. Waylon.

Thank you, Waylon...great info!

Click on the bouncing ball below to continue, or just exit the site. Ed.

The above images were colored blue...the originals were black on white. If ever more plans are discovered, especially the "Typical Sections", they will be posted here. Notice also that originally all these FSs ( originally called FP ) were configured for Army, or Merchant Marine ( civilian ) manning.

The plan is simple, and adequate, but for Navy manning there were considerable modifications made, and the designation went from FS to AKL.

Here's another anomoly with these FS/AKL types...the 02 Level, or Bridge Deck, and that includes the Captain's Stateroom...the movie showing that to be just abaft the Wheel House, so...that too had to be two to three feet above the 01 Level, or Boat Deck. There probably was an engine room casing rising near center-line causing this...I don't know, but there's something taking up that vertical space.
Click Here for complete photo of this ship - the USNS Range Recoverer T-AGM-2.
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Note the "built-up" house at the aft end of #2 hatch. It's not center-line, but off-set to port somewhat, though it does maintain a height equal to that of the 01 Level. This "ship alt" ( alteration ) is just about half the size of that on the USS Hewell ( USS Reluctant ). I'd venture to say that quite a few AKLs were modified this way considering the small, original housing area aboard these ships. I, my self, had a similar structure approved for the USNS Kane, on the centerline, but adjourning the aft end of the house at main deck level.

The highlighted ( dark ) section of the photo on the left shows the built-up house ( there's a couple of boxes on top ) forward of the original superstructure ( house )...you can see the starboard side door quite well.

In the photo below, in the highlighted ( dark ) circle, you can see the port side WTD ( Water Tight Door ) into the built-up house. This is not the Hewell, but another ship - the USS Brule AKL-28...both photos.
Unlike the smaller house on the Range Recover, this structure, if examined carefully, is identical in size to that on the Hewell.

While we are here, examine the ladder coming up to the "Palm Tree" deck ( actually the 01 Level ). See how light it is...it isn't a proper ladder, nor are the two ladders to the bridge deck...they seem to be made of wood.

While at this view, let's study the openings through the bridge dodger at the top of each short ladder. Though nicely fabricated, can you imagine the "hurricane" on the bridge wing while heading into a any breeze of any consequence. What we have here are two nicely formed "scoops"...wind scoops. Just for laughs, figure the wind four-points on the bow, and the wheel house doors open, the down-wind "scoop collecting the wind, and the up-wind scoop acting like a syphon, sucking the wind through the wheel house. Ha ha. If, these alterations were left in place as the Hewell made it way back to states, it must have been a riot.
Though it all looks nice, and convenient to the foredeck, this arrangement is most lubberly, and incorrect.